A rchive Date
[ 19-02-2003 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Pakistan ]
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[http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2003/02/19/28245-ap.html
Pakistani president tells U.S. he wants peaceful settlement of Iraq crisis
Wed, February 19, 2003
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf told a group of U.S. senators he wants a peaceful resolution of the Iraq crisis, the state-run news agency reported Wednesday.
In a meeting Tuesday, Musharraf told the American legislators, including the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, that Pakistan supports U.S. calls for Iraq to eliminate weapons of mass destruction, but would like to see it happen without a war, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan said.
It did not indicate how Pakistan would vote if a second resolution on Iraq comes before the UN Security Council, where Pakistan has one of the 15 seats. U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday said a second resolution wasn't necessary, but that he was still ready to bring another one before the council.
The news agency said the meeting Tuesday reaffirmed Washington's commitment to Pakistan, which has been a close ally in the U.S.-led war on terror in neighbouring Afghanistan. Pakistan's support for the war in Afghanistan has angered militant right-wing religious parties here.
Since Pakistan abandoned the Taliban after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States and sided with the American-led coalition fighting in Afghanistan, there have been several attacks against foreigners and minority Christians in Pakistan. Militant Muslim activists have been blamed for the attacks.
"Both sides expressed satisfaction on the state of U.S.-Pakistan relations. Ways and means were also discussed to further strengthen bilateral co-operation in diverse fields including the defence sector," the APP said.
"The delegation underlined the U.S. desire to remain firmly engaged with Pakistan to lay the basis for a long-term, enduring and broad-based relationship," it said.
World Fact Book (CIA)]
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